CURA
the oldest center for the study of religion and world affairs in the United States, is dedicated to supporting research and education on the role of religion in world affairs.
Latest Stories
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CURA Travel Grantee Rumana Mehdi Conducts Fieldwork in Iraq
From June through August 2026, CURA travel grantee Syeda Rumana Mehdi accompanied hundreds of people on pilgrimages to Karbala, Iraq, Read more
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CURA Travel Grantee Ofir Tenenbaum conducts ethnographic fieldwork in Berlin, Germany
With support from a CURA Travel Grant, Ofir Tenenbaum conducted three months of preliminary ethnographic fieldwork in Berlin, Germany, from Read more
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Student Job Opportunity: Undergraduate Research Fellow, Jewish Internationalism book project
Undergraduate Research Fellow, Jewish Internationalism book project ($1,500, AY 2026–27). Prof. Jeremy Menchik (Pardee/CURA) seeks a BU undergraduate to help Read more
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CURA Student Staff Member Alexia Nastasia Named 2026–2027 Harold C. Case Scholar
Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies is proud to announce that Alexia Nastasia (BA ’27) has been Read more
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Laura Anne Thompson Explores Blasphemy, Islamophobia, and Hate Speech in Tunisia
In June 2026, CURA travel grantee Laura Anne Thompson traveled to Tunis, Tunisia, to participate in the conference Islamophobia: Maghrebi Read more
Fast Facts
CURA is an academic research center with a public mission to lift up the peacemakers, and we’ve been doing that for 40 yearsJeremy Menchik
The Jewish left Event
Each year, CURA Fellows join bimonthly sessions at BU to refine research aligned with a shared theme—fostering deep academic dialogue before publication.
Colloquium Program
Since 1985, CURA has supported 140+ global projects, resulting in the publication of over 160 books on religion and world affairs.
CURA Publications
BU’s World Religion Database offers comprehensive global statistics on religious affiliation—past, present, and future—based on censuses and expert estimates.
World Religion Database